Alabama football added some defensive back help, with serious size, on Saturday. Carmelo O’Neal, previously at Mercer, committed to the Crimson Tide out of the transfer portal.
O’Neal shared the news to his social media Saturday morning. He’ll have two seasons of eligibility remaining at Alabama.
At 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, O’Neal’s body type suggests he would be a safety, the position that he played with the FCS Bears. However, he entered the portal as a cornerback, a position where the current UA staff hasn’t shied away from height.
Current Crimson Tide corner Dijon Lee is also 6-foot-4. Alabama had no problem keeping him at corner, something defensive coordinator Kane Wommack was asked about before the 2025 season.
“Obviously time will tell,” Wommack said of Lee. “Bodies develop and all those things. He looks like a corner right now. He just looks like a really long-ass corner.”
O’Neal finished the 2025 season with 36 total tackles for Mercer. He notched one sack, a forced fumble and 10 pass breakups from the safety spot he was playing.
The commitment came after O’Neal posted a photo from a visit to Tuscaloosa on Friday. He announced his impending entry into the transfer portal on Dec. 17.
“I feel it’s the best step for my growth and athletic career,” O’Neal wrote in a post announcing his departure from Mercer. “I am excited for the next chapter and and look forward to finding a program where I can continue develop as both an athlete and a student.”
O’Neal played his high school football at Westlake in Atlanta. He did not have a 247Sports composite star rating when he joined Mercer as part of the 2024 recruiting class.
The defensive back became the eighth player to join Alabama’s current transfer portal class. 20 players have decided to transfer away from UA.
The portal will remain open through Jan. 16. Players can sign with a new team at any time, including after the entry window is over.